Gas-pressure regulator.



E. J. BURNS. GAS PRESSURE REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1911.

1,011,572. 1 Patented Dec. 12,1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAFH C0" WASHINGTON. D. c.

EDWARD J. BURNS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAS-PRESSURE REGULATQR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 24, 1911.

l atented Dec. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 635,095.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BURNS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Pressure Regu lators, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a device to regulate the pressure of gas in order to obtain pressure in proportion to the amount of gas being used, my object being to provide a device which will be effective in its operation and simple and inexpensive in construction.

With this in mind my invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement and operation, to be hereinafter described, with respect to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through my improved device, showing the same coupled in operative position to a gas supply pipe, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section therethrough taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to these figures, the easing 5 of my improved device, which, as shown, is cylindrical in form, is closed at both ends, and provided in its said ends with threaded apertures for the reception of the portions 3 and 4 of the gas supply pipe, whereby the gas in passing to the fixtures where it is to be consumed, is -forced to go through said casing. Within the casing 5 is a relatively small upstanding tube 6, the upper end of which is terminated slightly below the upper end of the casing 5, and the lower end of which is secured within the lower end of the casing and into an internal flange 7 of the casing, whereby this tube 6, which has a vertical series of openings 8, forms the only means by which; the gas from pipe 4 may pass into the casing 5 and subsequently into pipe 3. Slidably mounted within the tube 6 is the regulating member 9, the form of which may be varied, although for the sake of simplicity I prefer to have it formed by a short tube closed at one end as shown. Thus the member 9 will at all times assume the posit-ion within tube 6 to expose suflicient numbers of the openings 8 below the same for the passage of gas,

. to permit the required pressure in proportion to the number of lights that are lighted, and will move up or down to enlarge or reduce the pressure should more lights be with all blowing and waste of gas in fixtures. Of course it will be understood that the regulating member 9 must be of just the required weight to move downwardly as the consumption of the gas is curtailed and to move upwardly under the action of the gas pressure, as the flow is increased. The extreme lower end of tube 6 may have small bypasses 10 which, when the pressure is cut out, allow a small amount of gas to pass into the casingvand thence to the house pipes and fixtures, so as to always leave a small amount of gas in thepipes and fixtures. The member 9 is prevented from dropping down far enough to close the bypasses, by a pin 11 extending across the interior of the tube 6. The weight of the member 9 will be sufiicient to produce the herein-described operation, and such weight may be varied in any suitable manner according to the pressure.

In operation the device is to be connected to one end of the out-let connection of the meter, and the opposite end to the house 'piping, the device being positioned so that the tube 6 extends vertically.

The operation is as follows: The gas on entering the tube 6 flows through the bypasses 10 into the casing 5 and thence to the house pipes. When all the fixtures are turned off, the member 9 is resting on the pin 11 at the lower end of the tube, just above the bypasses, and the flow from the tube into the casing is therefore through the by-passes only. There is always gas in the house pipes and fixtures so as to insure immediate ignition when turning on the fixtures. When additional or more gas is being used than can be supplied by the bypasses, the opening of additional jets allows a greater pressure on the member 9, causing the same to ascend high enough in the tube 6 to expose sufficient openings. 8 to supply the amount of gas required. Upon turning off any of the fixtures, the member 9 will descend in the tube a sufficient distance to out oif enough of the openings 8 to reduce the amount of gas and allow the flow of just enough gas to supply the remaining lighted fixtures. When all the fixtures are turned off and no gas is being consumed,

the member 9 descends in the tube 6 until it rests on the pin 11, thus shutting off the entire flow except that which is through the by-passes. Thus it will be seen that the turning on or off of any of the fixtures has a direct effect on the position of the member 9 in the tube, and causes the same to move up or down in the tube.

The object of the device is to prevent, as far as possible, the full pressure of gas as maintained in the main from having an unobstructed flow directed to the openings where the gas is being consumed. Curtailing the pressure in this manner prevents the blow of gas in the fixtures, and all particles of the gas are thereby burned instead of some of the gas wasted, as is the case where the pressure is too strong and the gas is forced into the fixtures faster than it can be consumed, thus resulting in a waste of gas.

I claim:

1. The combination of a casing having threaded apertures at its upper and lower 1 ends, a tube upstanding within said casing and having its lower end secured to span the lower end of the said casing, said tube being provided with vertical series of openings, and a regulating member vertically slidable within said tube.

2. The combination of a casing having threaded apertures at its upper and lower ends, and provided with an internal flange adjacent its lower end, a tube upstanding within said casing, having its lower end secured within said flange and provided with by-passes adjacent to its lower end and with vertical series of openings, and a regulating member slidably mounted within said tube.

3. The combination of a casing having an outlet, a vertical tube mounted in the casing and having a series of openings, a gas inlet to the tube, a pressure-actuated member slidable in the tube for controlling the openings, a stop for limiting the downward movement of the member in the tube, and a by-pass from the tube into the casing, said by-pass being located below said stop.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD J. BURNS.

l/Vitnesses:

ANNA MENGEL, H. G. BATGHELOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

